Page 31 of Bear Facts

“You always will be to me.” Graham abruptly released her, his habitual scowl creasing his face. “You were in the area, and you didn’t bother sending me word?” His gruffness returned full force, Graham embarrassed he’d been caught being sentimental.

Freya’s defiance flared. “I didn’t know until recently that you were in Las Vegas. I thought the pack was still in Elko.”

“Long story,” Graham rumbled. “You wouldn’t have sent word even if you’d known exactly where I was, would you?”

“To be honest? No.” Freya folded her arms, her scowl starting to match Graham’s. “Can you blame me?”

Graham rounded on Shane. “The minute you had her, you should have called me.”

It was always difficult to meet Graham’s gaze—the man knew how to turn on the dominant wolf. In fact, Graham rarely shut it off.

This time, Shane stared straight at him. He was mildly surprised he could do it.

“I don’t work for you,” Shane stated. “And it didn’t occur to me that Freya was in your pack. No resemblance, no scent marker. She didn’t tell me she knew you at all until we were almost to Shiftertown.”

“Any Lupine should be brought straight to me,” Graham snarled.

“Back to the part where I don’t work for you,” Shane said.

“The hell—” Graham began but was cut off by a gentle voice behind him.

“And Graham is very grateful to you, Shane, for keeping her safe,” Misty said. “Isn’t he?”

Misty was not very tall, the slightness of her frame emphasized by the giant bear Shifters and big Lupines around her. Misty, however, had a power all her own. Graham, unbelievably, snapped his mouth closed and subsided at her interruption.

Misty turned to Freya. “Don’t worry, sweetie. There’s plenty of room in our house for you until we get this sorted out. That is, if you don’t object to a few unruly cubs.”

She referred to two little wolves, Kyle and Matt, who were adorable but willful little shits. Nell sometimes babysat them, and only she and Misty could keep them in line. They didn’t listen to Shane or Brody, or even Cormac for that matter, and they sure as hell didn’t listen to Graham.

“Nope,” Shane said before Freya could speak. “We’ve already decided. She’s staying here.”

Graham’s temper blazed again. “You don’t make decisions about one of my pack.”

“As Freya said, she’s not a cub anymore.” Shane folded his arms and glared back at Graham. “She doesn’t have to obey you. We don’t roll that way in this Shiftertown.”

Graham opened his mouth to roar his opinion of Shane’s assessment, but Freya stepped in front of him.

“I’m going to take Nell’s offer of hospitality,” she declared quietly. “At least until I figure out what I want to do.”

“There’s no way a bunch of bears can protect you like I can. I’m your pack leader,” Graham roared.

“How’s Leo?” Freya asked, her tone too casual. “Did he move to this Shiftertown too?”

Graham, red in the face, spluttered. “Yes. He’s—he’s still a shithead.”

“Mated?”

“No.”

“That’s why I am going to stay with Nell.” Freya closed her mouth in finality.

Nell grinned. “Fine by me. You lose, Graham.”

Shane went rigid at the mention of Leo’s name. Leo Dunham was the asshole who’d led the rebellious wolves this morning. It just figured he’d done something scummy like mate-claiming Freya, which had sent her fleeing.

Any questions now would make the tension in this room worse, so Shane kept silent. Freya’s face was tight with bad memories, and Graham looked about to explode. Questions would come, but they’d have to come later.

“Freya stays on our territory,” Shane said firmly. “Until she decides otherwise.”

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